EPA Awards New Hampshire $492,200 for Clean Diesel Projects -- Part of Nearly $2.4 Million State and Federal Grants Funded Across New England

(Boston, Mass – September 25, 2008) - Today, EPA announced the award of $492,200 to the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NH DES) for clean diesel projects across the state. This funding is part of $14.8 million that has been made available this year for State Clean Diesel programs nationally. New England states received nearly $1.6 million from EPA, leveraging an additional $780,000 in state funding. In New Hampshire, $295,320 was awarded by EPA with matching funds of $196,880 from the state.

“I am pleased that New Hampshire continues to demonstrate their commitment to reducing exposure to diesel exhaust by retrofitting and replacing vehicles across the state,” said Robert W. Varney, regional administrator of EPA’s New England Office. “Fleet by fleet, we are helping to provide cleaner air for our children.”

“These funds will further the State’s efforts to lead-by-example in demonstrating diesel reduction technologies to other New Hampshire fleets and will serve New Hampshire citizens by reducing their exposure to harmful diesel exhaust," said NH DES Commissioner Thomas Burack. “The Department of Environmental Services is looking forward to partnering with the Department of Transportation to implement projects to reduce emissions from state-owned diesel vehicles and transit buses.”

"The vision for the Department of Transportation is to improve the quality of life for the citizens of New Hampshire," said NHDOT Commissioner George Campbell. "This grant gives us yet another opportunity to walk the talk."

Diesel engines contribute significantly to air pollution, especially in urban areas. The fine particles in diesel exhaust pose serious health risks, including aggravated asthma and other respiratory symptoms. Children are especially vulnerable to these effects. The Northeast has some of the highest asthma rates in the nation, including a childhood asthma rate above 10 percent in all six New England states. In New Hampshire, lifetime asthma rates in children are estimated to be 11.6 percent.

NH DES will use this grant to retrofit transit buses and Department of Transportation vehicles with a combination of diesel oxidation catalysts, diesel particulate matter filters, and idle reduction technology, significantly reducing diesel emissions from heavy-duty diesel engines operating across the state.

EPA is working collaboratively with the New England states to reduce emissions of harmful diesel exhaust. In 2005, regions 1 and 2 of the U.S. EPA, the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management (NESCAUM) and the states and territories of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont established the Northeast Diesel Collaborative (NEDC). NEDC is a partnership of public and private organizations working to improve air quality by taking action to reduce diesel pollution. Puerto Rico joined in 2007 and the U.S. Virgin Islands joined in 2008. Today, the collaborative combines the expertise of public and private partners in a coordinated regional initiative to reduce diesel emissions and improve public health in the eight northeastern states as well as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.